Mac: Error with sims 3 "Unknown Error Occurred" (after installing)

[puzzlezaddict]

@morgsgainers  There are several different causes of the unknown error message, and which fixes you need to apply depends on your computer's specs as well as the packs you have installed.  This guide only covers one of the fixes.  If you only have the base game, not even the Starter Pack (with Late Night and High-End Loft Stuff), then you probably need to edit the game's .sgr files to force it to recognize your graphics card.

https://bluebellflora.com/fix-for-incompatible-graphics-for-the-sims-3-on-mac/

If you'd like help with this step, just provide the specs of your mac, along with the device ID of your card.  Here's how to find that info:

https://bluebellflora.com/2018/07/24/sims-3-mac-players-i-need-your-help/#Information

Or, if you see your graphics card on the list, just download the text and add it to your .sgr files.  Be sure to apply the edits to both graphicscards and graphicsrules.

[Cristabics]

I have the same problem right now! Could you solution it?

[puzzlezaddict]

@Cristabics  Yes, I can tell you how to try to fix the unknown error.  But I need a bit more information.  So please list your mac's specs, as described in this post:

https://answers.ea.com/t5/The-Sims-Mac/READ-FIRST-Sims-3-Mac-Help-Guides-and-Troubleshooting/m-p/475...

Please also list the expansion and stuff packs you have installed.

[Cristabics]

macOS High Sierra

Version 10.13.6

MacBook Air (13-inch, 2017)

Processor 1,8 GHz Intel Core i5

Memory 8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3

Graphics Intel HD Graphics 6000 1536 MB

I've no antivirus and no expansion packs. Only the base game. Also, I don't use CC or mods.

Thanks for helping me!!

[puzzlezaddict]

@Cristabics  Okay, the first thing to do is run the Super Patch (digital download version).  Even if the launcher thinks it's already patched, it may not be.

https://bluebellflora.com/sims-3-manual-super-patch-for-mac-1-67/

With just the base game, the only other step you'll need to take is to edit TS3's .sgr files to force recognition of your graphics card.  Bluebellflora has already prepared the edits for your particular card; all you have to do is add the text to each file.  You can download the text for the Intel 6000 (and some instructions) here:

https://bluebellflora.com/2018/07/24/sims-3-mac-players-i-need-your-help/#Filesconfirmed

Please make sure to edit both graphicscards.sgr and graphicsrules.sgr, as the game needs both to work.

If you do decide to add packs in the future, four of them (Ambitions, Late Night, Fast Lane, and Outdoor Living) won't install correctly.  But the workarounds are fairly straightforward—just follow steps four and five in this guide:

https://answers.ea.com/t5/The-Sims-Mac/READ-FIRST-Sims-3-Mac-Help-Guides-and-Troubleshooting/m-p/698...

And if you have any other questions or get stuck on a particular step, just let me know where the process went wrong, as well as any error messages you see.

[aryboo1]

Hi,

I've been having the same problem as everyone else. The only problem is that it's my base game. I've tried everything and looked everywhere, but no one's advice has helped me so far. I have absolutely no CC, and I uninstalled and reinstalled completely 3 times. I've also held back on downloading the expansion packs as well. Here are my specs:

(Retina, 12-inch, 2017)

1.2 GHz Intel Core m3

8 GB 1867 MHz LPDDR3

Intel HD Graphics 615 1536 MB

Please help lol, ever since I've switched from windows to mac the sims has been giving me hell.

[puzzlezaddict]

@aryboo1  The immediate reason that TS3 won't launch is that your graphics chip isn't recognized by the game.  The list of cards was last updated in 2013, so anything newer than that will be unrecognized.  Normally, the way to fix this would be to edit the game's .sgr files to add the card.

However, I don't think this is a good idea.  Your laptop is absolutely not a gaming computer and is not built to handle even a moderately demanding game like TS3.  A MacBook (not the Pro or even the Air, but the simple MacBook) will have a weak processor with a weak integrated graphics chip, neither of which would likely run the game under the best of circumstances.  The usual recommendation for processor speed is at least 2.4 GHz, and yours would have to constantly run in turbo to maintain that speed.

Furthermore, MacBooks can't cool themselves efficiently—they don't even have a fan, relying instead on the dissipation of heat from the bottom of the laptop.  So even if you could get TS3 running, your computer would likely overheat very quickly, probably before you had much of a chance to play.  And the excess heat could even damage your hardware.

I'm sorry to say it, but I don't think there's a way to get a good play experience on this computer.  Even the base game is likely too much for it.

[brookiebabez1207]

THANK YOU SO SO MUCH FOR THIS YOU FIXED MY GAME!!!! I WAS SO WORRIED I LOST OUT ON MONEY AND I AM JUST SO HAPPY TO HAVE IT RUNNING AGAIN!

[roglekarlsson5]

Hi, I've been trying back and forth to download and play The Sims 3 and trying a lot of different solutions but it doesn't work, there's always an unknown error. I want to download the base game and the Late Night expansion. I would love a step by step explanation on how to download it and everything I need to fix. I'll list my Macs specs:

macOS Mojave version 10.14.1

Macbook (Retina, 12-inch 2017)

Processor 1,3 GHz Intel Core i5

Memory 8 GB 1867 MHz LPDDR3

Graphic Intel HD Graphics 615 1536 MB

[puzzlezaddict]

@roglekarlsson5  In your case, the usual steps would be:

• Download the base game
• Run the Super Patch (digital download version): https://bluebellflora.com/sims-3-manual-super-patch-for-mac-1-67/
• Download Late Night
• Create an alias for LN in Applications\The Sims 3, alongside the alias for the base game:  https://bluebellflora.com/sims-3-packs-not-showing-as-installed/

As long as you haven't installed any other packs at any point, this is all you need.  If you have installed another pack, even if you uninstalled it later, you'll need to start with a clean uninstall, removing the hidden library files before installing the base game.

https://bluebellflora.com/how-to-do-a-clean-uninstall-and-reinstall-on-a-mac/

But in all honesty, I don't think it's a good idea to run TS3 on this computer.  I'm not even sure you can, no matter what you do.  A MacBook, not the Pro or Air model but the basic version, is not built to withstand the stress of even a moderately demanding game.  It has no fans; its only cooling comes from the slow dissipation of heat through the bottom of the laptop.  Its processor would be considered too weak to handle TS3 in any setup, and it would constantly have to run in turbo even with just the base game, stressing it beyond what it was made to do (and generating more heat that the computer can't take).  Its integrated graphics chip is not capable of managing the workload that it would get, putting even more demands on the processor.  With all this, I wouldn't be surprised if your computer never ran TS3 at all.

Unfortunately, there's nothing you can do to make TS3 run well on your computer, and forcing it to do so might damage its hardware.  The best thing to do is just to uninstall the game, and maybe come back to it when you have a stronger system on which you can play.